First aid
Archives for October 2019
H’wick residents working to improve town
Residents of Howardwick are seeing signs of progress as community members work to address issues of safety and quality of life in the lakeside city.
Civic leaders have made strides in the last couple of months to improve fire protection capability, add more amenities to the City Park, and reduce crime.
After a legal issue shut down the Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department, the city’s official department – the City of Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department – has been working to get back up and running and attained that goal this month. The department is now ready to accept and respond to calls.
Fire Chief Brice Hawley says the CHVFD now has five members, including its secretary, with two more applications pending. The department held a “meet and greet” last month that was attended by about 100 people, Hawley said. That event raised about $1,900 in donations for the department even though it wasn’t meant to be a fundraiser.
The CHVFD is also working to improve its members’ training and will have members getting wildfire training in November.
On the north edge of the city, the new District Nine Volunteer Fire Department continues to organize with the goal of providing fire protection to the area north of Howardwick to Interstate 40 and east to Alanreed. Members of that department say they have received donations of gear and vehicles and are working toward raising money for a building to house their equipment.
The D9VFD, which will not operate inside the city, held a fundraiser dinner last month that was attended by more than 100 people and did very well.
Both fire departments are supported by auxiliary organizations – the Fire Flies for the CHVFD and the Fire Bees for the D9VFD.
Following some August break-ins in the community, Alderman Jerry Mulanax and City Secretary Sandra Childress first discussed the idea of forming a neighborhood watch organization. Mulanax then put the word out to some citizens via social media.
“They made it loud and clear they are not satisfied with the criminal element believing Howardwick is a place they can fly under the radar for their illegal deeds, or a place where squatters can take up residence unchallenged,” Mulanax said.
Without the involvement of the city, Mulanax now serves as the coordinator of a neighborhood watch group that has 36 participants and seven block captains, whose purpose is not just to reduce criminal activity.
“We intend to use this Neighborhood Watch Program to address those issues, help to heal old wounds to bring the city back together, and eventually use our combined force to make Howardwick the kind of City we all want to live in and a place we can be proud of by not only cleaning up these issues but also expanding our roles to include conducting civic improvement initiatives,” Mulanax said.
Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn has met with the group, and a Cpl. Jeb Hilton of the
Amarillo Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit met with the group last week. Blackburn offered advice and support for the group, and Hilton also provided training for what a neighborhood watch group should and should not do.
Mulanax says any Howardwick resident interested in helping as a block captain or a watcher can sign up at City Hall.
The city itself is also working to address concerns of its citizens in terms of zoning. A public hearing was held October 15 where residents discussed wanting to allow or expand areas of town where tiny homes, RVs, and mobile homes can be located, rethink the square footage requirements for homes in the city, update definitions of different types housing, restrict livestock in the city, and address issues regarding septic systems.
Childress says the citizens’ input will be taken into consideration for a re-writing of Chapter 12 of the city’s Code of Ordinances. City Hall hopes to have that work done by December.
The city also has a new playground to brag about at City Park, purchased by Mayor Tony Clemishire. The new equipment occupies a footprint of about 500 square feet, and is already getting used by local kids.
MaryLynn Manning
MaryLynn Manning passed peacefully on October 15, 2019.
She is a beautiful soul and we miss her so much. MaryLynn traveled the world as a missionary and teacher. As a teacher, she schooled us, her children, to embrace the wonder, mystery and diversity in all of God’s creation.
MaryLynn was happiest when helping someone else. She was a very spiritual person and lived a simple, and thoughtful life.
Her wishes were that we do not have a formal service. She wanted to pass as she lived, in a quiet and humble manner. Our family will be celebrating her life in private ceremonies.
She dearly loved the sounds of nature and the soul stirring songs and music of the old church hymns. She was heard singing “Jesus Is All the World to Me” the day before she was called home. Truly, as friends and family of MaryLynn we join in; “Beau-ti-ful life with such a Friend, Beau-ti-ful life that has no end.”
She was born on May 9, 1932, to Lee and Lilly Manning in Midland, Texas, and survived by her sister Nadine Ellis of Oklahoma City and Marjorie Manning of Lubbock. Mother to James Edwin Bell, Jr (Utah), Regina Christine Knorpp (Texas), Ali Anthony Bell (Morocco), Corrina Birdtail (Montana), and Benjamin Noel Bell (Oregon). Mother-in-Law; and beloved Grandmother to 14; Great-grandmother to 19; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Robert (Bob) Latson Bentley
Robert (Bob) Latson Bentley died peacefully in his sleep October 16, 2019, at Wesleyan Assisted Living in Georgetown, Texas, after living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) for several years.
He was predeceased by his wife Jeanne (nee Smith) Bentley in 2009.
He is survived by his sister Nell Wadsworth of Georgetown, Texas; daughter Pamela Bentley of Ottawa, Canada; niece Susan Price of Abilene, Texas; and nephew Stephen Wadsworth of Pleasanton, Texas.
Bob was born January 5, 1928, in McLean, Gray County, Texas, to Oma (Latson) and William Bentley. They moved to Clarendon before Bob started school and then attended through 12th grade there.
After a year at Clarendon College, Bob attended University of Texas, working as a waiter in the dining room of the Scottish Rite dormitory to help pay his way through college. He remained lifelong friends with many of the waiters there and in later years enjoyed almost yearly reunions with them and their wives, including a trip through the Canadian Rockies that he and Jeanne organized from their home in Calgary where they lived from 1971 onward. Bob returned to Texas in 2010 after Jeanne’s death.
After receiving his degree in Geology from University of Texas, Bob went to work for Tenneco Oil in 1955 and worked for them as a petroleum engineer in Midland, Odessa; Calgary, Alberta; Lafayette, Louisiana; and back to Calgary in 1971. He and Jeanne lived in Lafayette from 1960 – 1971. Their daughter Pamela was born there in 1963. Tenneco’s Arctic Exploration division in Calgary was eventually sold to Harvard Oil, and Bob retired from Harvard as Operations Manager in 1993.
Bob was a life-long athlete, even after a serious back injury at 18 that took away his dream of playing college football with an eye to eventually becoming a coach. He continued to follow college football throughout his life. He bowled for years in a weekly 10-pin league, and played golf several times a week whenever possible, with his father-in-law Graeme Smith in Calgary, with numerous friends, and with his wife Jeanne. They often traveled to places where they could play a round or two. They spent many winters in Phoenix, Arizona in the 1990’s and 2000’s before Jeanne was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. For decades Bob had supported Jeanne’s earlier work as a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association of Calgary, of Canada, and internationally, and was for years her primary caregiver until the end of her life. He was a generous man, donating to many causes and charities that he valued, and was always involved in community. He was part of the Holiday Park community association in Lafayette in the 60s, coached girls’ softball for Triwood Community Centre in Calgary in the 70s, and served in his last years as a member of various committees at Wesleyan Independent Living. He was an active member of Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, often advocating for changes in policy to make the membership more inclusive and fair for women.
There will be no memorial service at his most recent request. His daughter and sister would like to thank the staff at the Wesleyan, particularly at Assisted Living and Laurel Hall, for their care for Bob. If desired, donations can be made to Alzheimer Calgary, or to Clarendon College in Clarendon.
Old Time Religion
King meets with local constituents
State Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) gave a recap of the last legislative session and listened to the concerns of Donley County residents during a stop in Clarendon last Thursday, October 10.
Speaking at the Clarendon College Bairfield Activity Center, Rep. King said his most important job at this point is the redistricting that will follow the 2020 US Census.
“Currently you need a population of about 160,000 to make a state house district,” King said. “That will change to 200,000. One rural East Texas district, and one rural West District will be lost.”
King doesn’t thing his district will be eliminated, but he emphasized the importance of redistricting to the people of this area.
King highlighted accomplishments of the last Legislature, which he said were a balanced budget and public education reforms that gave more money to teachers and more money to address the mental health of students.
“There’s never enough money in public education, but House Bill 3 was a good start,” King said.
Another highlight, King said, was Melissa’s Law, which improves the sentencing statute for sexual predators. King said the bill was authored by a district attorney here in House District 88. A bill that also came from this area was HB 2604, which expanded some grant opportunities for volunteer fire departments.
“The best legislation is always that which is brought up by a constituent, so please continue to participate,” King said.
Looking ahead to the 2021 legislative session, King said the state sales tax would be on the table. Adding a penny to the sales levy would do more for public education than anything else the state could do, he said.
King also hopes to look at health insurance options for retired teachers in the next session and consider appraisal reform to treat poorer rural counties differently than richer urban counties.
Clarendon ISD Interim Superintendent Mike Jackson thanked King for his support in getting a 13th check for retired teachers but urged him to support a cost of living increase for those retirees.
Clarendon College President Robert Riza thanked the representative for his dedication and his availability work for the interests of community colleges. King noted that, while there are a lot of lawyers and insurance salesmen serving as legislators, he is the only one who works in the oil and gas business.
Donley County Judge John Howard asked King about the possibility of economically disadvantaged counties being able to keep a higher percentage of fines that go to the state.
King, referring to his earlier remarks, encouraged the judge to put a formal proposal together that could be carried as a bill in the next session.
“I’d much rather work on your agenda than mine,” King said.
Junior firefighter
Copelin, operate the hose used to put out fires. HHS Yearbook / Carl Thornton
287 traffic swap set for Friday in Hedley
A traffic swap has been scheduled for the $8 million rehabilitation project on US 287 in Hedley, according to Childress Area TxDOT Engineer Matt Herbstritt. The swap is scheduled to take place by Friday, October 18.
“All traffic will be swapped to the south side of US 287 through Hedley on the new concrete surface,” said Hebstritt. This will allow the contractors to begin the rehabilitation phase on the north side of US 287.
The extensive project is enhancing the overall safety of the roadway by making improvements to the pavement structure, drainage and lighting. Access to oversize loads and extra-long vehicles will continue to be restricted until the project is complete.
Herbstritt encouraged motorists to take their time and use caution while traveling through the work zone in Hedley.
Dr. Sheppard to leave local office Oct. 28
After 15 years, Dr. Richard Sheppard will end his local dentistry practice in Clarendon on October 28.
Sheppard, who opened his office here in 2004, will continue to keep his Booker office open, and Drs. Ed Vlosich and Spence Vlosich will open a new practice – Clarendon Dental Associates.
“I’ll be 70 in December, so I’m having to adjust to the realities of the calendar,” Sheppard said.
Sheppard says he’s enjoyed his time in Clarendon and particularly enjoyed the people he has gotten to work with.
“It’s been wonderful,” he said. “I’ve made some really long-lasting relationships.”
Sheppard told the Enterprise 15 years ago that building relationships with patients would be the key to a successful practice, and he now says he was right about that.
Sheppard also proudly points out that Jana White and Tiffanie Word have both been with his office since he started.
“I love them both,” he says.
Sheppard is grateful to have gotten to know Ed Vlosich and says he and his family will be improving the services offered here.
“He will upgrade some technology,” Sheppard said. “They also plan to be open two days a week here and patients can go to their Amarillo office for pain relief on other days, which something I could never offer.”
Sheppard will still be in Clarendon on the first Fridays of each month to finish some orthodontic cases.
“We won’t rush those cases,” he said.
Owls soar
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